Nelia Nunes
There was a season when Nelia’s life shrank to one goal: get through today. Years of crisis and caregiving a child with severe disabilities taught her that resilience isn’t built through big leaps, but through small steps forward. That shift is the foundation of her keynote.
Nelia Nunes is the founder of Blue Plaza Events, where she helps event professionals design conferences, expos, and corporate gatherings that are more engaging, intentional, and inclusive. With over 25 years of experience, she brings a rare blend of strategic insight and on-the-ground know-how that helps teams build events people actually want to attend.
She combines her deep industry knowledge with her lived experience as the parent of a young adult with a disability to guide teams in creating events that go beyond checklists and compliance.
Her signature keynote, When Life Happens: Turning the Mess Into a Map, offers a powerful blend of personal storytelling and inspiration for turning life’s challenges into purpose-driven action - using resilience, determination, and positivity to create something good out of the hard.
In addition to her work in the events industry, Nelia also supports individuals with developmental disabilities and their families navigating California’s Self-Determination Program as an Independent Facilitator, helping them live more fulfilling and empowered lives.
Nelia lives in Northern California with her husband, two daughters and three dogs. When she has free time she enjoys spending time reading, paddleboarding or getting together with friends and family.
Nelia Nunes is the founder of Blue Plaza Events, where she helps event professionals design conferences, expos, and corporate gatherings that are more engaging, intentional, and inclusive. With over 25 years of experience, she brings a rare blend of strategic insight and on-the-ground know-how that helps teams build events people actually want to attend.
She combines her deep industry knowledge with her lived experience as the parent of a young adult with a disability to guide teams in creating events that go beyond checklists and compliance.
Her signature keynote, When Life Happens: Turning the Mess Into a Map, offers a powerful blend of personal storytelling and inspiration for turning life’s challenges into purpose-driven action - using resilience, determination, and positivity to create something good out of the hard.
In addition to her work in the events industry, Nelia also supports individuals with developmental disabilities and their families navigating California’s Self-Determination Program as an Independent Facilitator, helping them live more fulfilling and empowered lives.
Nelia lives in Northern California with her husband, two daughters and three dogs. When she has free time she enjoys spending time reading, paddleboarding or getting together with friends and family.
When Life Happens: Turning the Mess Into a Map
Format: 50 minute
This program is perfect for:
- [type of employee or situation]
- [type of employee or situation]
We don’t get to choose what life throws at us—but we do get to choose what we do next. In this honest and powerful keynote, Nelia Nunes shares how life’s hardest moments shaped her—but didn’t define her. Through personal storytelling and practical wisdom, she challenges...
